hennessy



March 4, 1930. J. J. HENNESSY 1,748,982

AUTOMATIC DRAIN Filed Aug. 25, 1928 Ji Q4 W F) rfmQA/Ev Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITE JAMES J. HENNESSY,

01" NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC DRAIN Application filed August 25, 1928. Serial No. 302,071.

- My invention relates to a device for automatically draining a non-cohesive fluid from a vessel containing a relatively viscous fluid, My invention has been utilized particularly 5 for the purpose of draining water from the lubricant cellars of railway axle boxes and in the accompanying drawings I illustrate such an application of my invention, but it x will be understood that the field of use is not limited to this particular adaptation.

In my copending application, Serial No. 212,916, filed August 15, 1927, I describe a journallubricator of the type shown in the accompanying drawings and show the same provided with a drain plug which must be manually removed and replaced if any drainage is to take place. It has not been customary to usethis drain unless there was reason to believe that the lubricant was unduly I thinned or fouled with sediment or foreign matter.

Experience with lubricators of the type referred to has shown that a certain amount of water accumulates in the reservoir, particularly during certain seasons and in some classes of service, irrespective of how tightly the lubricator may be covered. The accumulation of water in the reservoir above a cer tain degree is very undesirable.

to The main object of my invention is to provide an automatic drain for water, which may accumulate in the reservoir, without undeslrable loss of lubricant.

In attalnlng thls general object by means I of the apparatus described herein, there are certain detailed objects which will be referred to in the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through i a lubricator applied to an axle.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section through the drain and illustrates a modified form of my invention. I

It will be understood that the body of the lubricator includes areservoir 1 which will be more or less filled with lubricant. The bottom wall 2 of the lubricator is inclined and near its lower portion is provided with a threaded opening into which may be screwed the body 3 of my drain device which comprises a hollow vertically disposed member having a bore extending preferably from end to end. In this bore is a correspondingly shaped plug 4 having sufiicient play in the bore to providesome space between the wall of the plug and the wall of the bore so that a relatively non-cohesive or thin fluid like water may seep between the plug and the wall of the bore, while a relatively viscous fluid, such as oil, will not pass therethrough.

In practice, I have found thatsatisfactory results are obtained with a bore approximately five eighths (5/8) of an inch in diameter and provided with a plug approximately an inch and a quarter (1-1/4) in length and with a diameter approximately five one-thousandths (5/1000) of an inch smaller than the diameter of the bore. This leaves a space of from three to five one-thousandths of an inch between the plug and the side of the bore throughout a substantial portion of the circumference of the plug as the plug will seldom be positioned in the exact center of the bore. The bore and plug should 7 be machined carefully, but it is not necessary that an exceptionally fine finish be provided, that afforded by ordinary reaming methods and corresponding turning will be satisfactory.

Both pieces are preferably made of brass to avoid rusting. Other non-ferrous metal may be used for the same purpose.

The body member 3 is provided with suitable plug engaging elements such as pins 5 85 and 6 for the purpose of retaining the plug in position, and I prefer to space pins 5 and 6 a greater distance apart than the length of the plug to permit the plug to have some vertieal movement relative to member 3 which so improves the operation of the device due to jarring of the same when in service. The jarring tendency is increased by mounting the bore upon a spring S just strong enough to support the weight of the plug away from 95 the pin. The plug is held above the bottom of the body also to avoid interference with the free movement of the plug due to burrs or injury to the bottom edge of the bore.

The wall of the bore is carried up a sub- 1 separated.

stantial, distance above the bottom of the reservoir to prevent dirt and sediment interfering with the action of the drain.

lVith the construction shown, water rising above the entrance to the bore will seep between the plug and the wall of the bore and. be discharged from the reservoir, but oil, due to its adhesiveness and heavier body, will not pass through the slight space provided.

My device is adapted for use in tanks where oils or similar substances are stored and in Figure 2 I illustrate a modification of my invention which is particularly adapted for use in connection with containers wherein viscous fluids are stored under pressure. In this construction, the body member of the device is provided with an annular seat 8 on which the end of the plug 9. rests when the fluid is under pressure, thereby sealing the drain. A spring 10 is compressed between the lower end of the plug and a support 11 resting on pin 12 and this spring functions, when pressure is released, to raise plug 9 from its seat and permit water or like fluid to drain to the exterior of the reservoir.

It will be understood that the functioning of a device of the type described will depend upon proper proportioning of the areas of the plug, and its bore, at the same time taking into consideration the differences in viscosity of the fluids which the drain is to separate. The dimensions given aboveare satisfactory for the particular service referred to in which journal lubricating oil and water are to be lVith slight experimentation, as to relative sizes, a satisfactory drain may be produced for other applications. I contemplate the exclusive use of such modifications of the proportions referred to, and other variations in the details of the structure described, which are within the scope of my claims. I c

I claim:

1. In a device for automatically draining relatively incohesive fluid from a container for more viscous fluid, a body having a bore communicating at opposite ends with the interior and exterior of the container, a plug in said bore with its wall so spaced from the wall of said bore as to permit the passage of water and prevent the passage of oil, and

.means yieldingly supporting the weight of said plug.

2. An automatic water drain device for yournal lubr cators comprising a body member with a bore open at top and bottom, a plug therein, the walls of said bore and plug being so spaced from each other as to permit the passage of water and prevent the passage of oil, said bore being substantially longer than i said plug, and means holding said plug with its ends spaced from the ends of said bore and means yieldingly supporting the weight of said plug.

3. In a device of the class described, a bore open at both ends, a plug on the interior of said bore and approximately one and one quarter inches long and about five one-thousandths of an inch smaller in diameter than said bore,.an element on the interior of said bore near its lower end, a spring in said bore seated on said elementand yieldingly supporting said plug, a plug engaging shoulder in saidbore beneath the top of said spring when the latter is free, and a second element on the interior of said bore spaced from the upper end of said plug when the latter is seated on said shoulder.

t. In a device of the class described, a member adapted to extend through the wall of a reservoir and having a bore open at each end, a plug on the interior of said bore and about five one-thousandths of an inch smaller in diameter than said bore, and a spring mounted on the interior of said bore and just strong enough to weight of said plug.

5. In a device of the class described, a member provided with a bore open at both ends, a plug in said here, the circumferential surface of said plug being spaced from the wall of said bore to permit the draining of a liquid and prevent the draining of a lighter and more viscousliquid, an element in said bore near its lower end, a spring in said bore yieldingly support the seated on said element and yieldingly sup- 5 porting said plug, a plug engaging shoulder in said bore beneath the top of said spring when the latter is free, and a second element on said member projecting over said plugv and spaced from the upper end of said plug when the latter is seated on said shoulder.

6. In a device ofthe class described, amember adapted to extend through the wall of a yieldingly support the weight of said plug.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 15th day of August, 1928 JAS. J. HENNESSY. 

